Boiling chicken is a straightforward process that yields perfectly cooked meat. Whether you plan to use it in a recipe or enjoy it as a standalone dish with your favorite sides, following these simple steps will help you boil chicken to perfection.
Prep the chicken. Place the cut-up chicken (may use a whole chicken or any other cut of chicken) into a large stockpot. Fill the stockpot with water covering the chicken pieces with about an inch of water. Add the salt and peppercorns if using. Place the lid onto the stockpot.
⭐️Boil. Bring the water to a boil then turn it down to a low boil and cook for 1 hour.
⭐️Remove the chicken pieces. Using tongs, remove the chicken pieces. Use the leftover broth for a soup base. Let the chicken cool then remove the meat from the bones and use it in a favorite recipe or serve as is.
Notes
Seasoning Suggestions
Lemon - add lemon slices to the water as the chicken simmers or squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of cooked chicken.
Fresh herbs - add rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano or parsley as a garnish before serving.
Spices - dry ranch seasoning, taco seasoning, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika or your favorite spice blend can be sprinkled on chicken after cooking.
Garlic - add smashed garlic cloves to the broth or top cooked chicken with roasted garlic or garlic powder.
Sauce - drizzle buffalo sauce, Italian dressing, balsamic vinegar, bbq, siracha, hot sauce, honey mustard on top or use as a dipping sauce.
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you're new to eating gluten-free we understand it's overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don't. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn't require a helper.